A Star Is Born, the devastating romantic drama released in 1937, explores Hollywood stardom through the rise and fall of Hollywood stars. If you’ve seen any of the four feature films, you already know the basic gist of the plot. I’ve only seen two of them. But in this film, Esther Blodgett (Janet Gaynor) is an aspiring actress and moves from Kansas to Hollywood. By chance, she meets Norman Maine (Fredric March), a veteran film…
"A Star Is Born: A Tale As Old As Time"Category: Movie Reviews
Tropic Thunder, the Vietnam War satire directed by Ben Stiller and released in 2008, goes to extremes with all sorts of surprises. This year marks the 13th anniversary and while Tropic Thunder may be one of the edgiest satires I’ve ever seen, it certainly hasn’t aged well. There is language in this film that we don’t use anymore. A whole sequences in the film features a derogatory slur repeated at a mile a minute. The…
"Tropic Thunder: War Satire Goes To Extremes"
The point of a thriller movie is to thrill the audience but unfortunately, Beckett fails to do so as the film makes its arrival on Netflix. While many of us are staying home because of the pandemic, we’re counting on films to take us on a vacation. It could be anywhere from NYC to LA to a location in this film like Greece. Beckett (John David Washington) is an American tourist on vacation in Greece.…
"Beckett: Netflix Thriller Fails to Thrill"
Ride the Eagle is a heartfelt comedy that feels timely and should be able to resonate with audiences well over a year into the pandemic. Leif (Jake Johnson) doesn’t have the best relationship with his mother, Honey (Susan Sarandon). The two of them are estranged when she passes away. It’s not like it was any one thing that set them apart. She made choices that Leif didn’t agree with and the rest is history. Nobody…
"Ride the Eagle: A Heartfelt Comedy"
Robin Williams may have been famous because of his comedy work but his non-comedy role in Dead Poets Society is one of his best performances. “Carpe diem. Seize the day, boys. Make your lives extraordinary.” – John Keating (Robin Williams) I try and watch a film every year in Robin William’s memory. Last year, it was Hook. Next year might be Good Will Hunting even if I hold my review for the film’s 25th anniversary.…
"Dead Poets Society: Remembering Robin Williams"
Malice at the Palace, which revisits the Pacers/Pistons game, is the first film in a five-part weekly Untold documentary series streaming on Netflix. One can look at Untold serving as Netflix’s response to ESPN’S 30 for 30 series. After all, they are both a stand-alone documentary series. Chapman Way and Maclain Way developed the series, which aims to go behind the headlines with the people who made the news. This initial edition offers five different…
"Malice at the Palace Kicks Off Untold Doc Series"
Infinitum: Subject Unknown is a British sci-fi film that came about during the first British lockdown of the Covid-19 pandemic. Director/co-writer Matthew Butler-Hart and actress/co-writer Tori Butler-Hart make the best of the Covid lockdown. All sorts of creatives had their lives put on hold for much of early 2020. At least until filmmakers were able to figure out how to make movies safely during a pandemic. Matthew Butler-Hart shoots the film on an iPhone. When…
"Infinitum: Subject Unknown: A Time Loop Film"
Aretha Franklin might not have lived to see Respect on the screen but Jennifer Hudson shines in the new biopic about the Queen of Soul. The thing about biopics, let alone musical biopics, is figuring out where you want to focus the story. You have to go about the right angle because once you commit to depicting a lengthy time period, a film either will work or it won’t. Respect doesn’t spend much time focusing…
"Respect: Jennifer Hudson Shines As Aretha Franklin"
Frank Sinatra and Gene Kelly star as a pair of baseball players who moonlight as vaudeville comedians in Take Me Out to the Ball Game. It’s late in the first decade of the 1900s when part-time vaudeville comedians Eddie O’Brien (Gene Kelly) and Dennis Ryan (Frank Sinatra) make the way to Florida to train for the upcoming season. When they’re not performing vaudeville, they are the shortstop and second baseman for the Chicago Wolves, respectively.…
"Take Me Out to the Ball Game: A Musical Classic"
The long-delayed Free Guy offers audiences a rocking good time as the Shawn Levy-directed film starring Ryan Reynolds hits the big screen. I’m a fan of Shawn Levy and will see anything that he directs. Ryan Reynolds turns in another solid Ryan Reynolds performance that only Ryan Reynolds can do. Listen, there are other actors but Ryan Reynolds is Guy. He’s got the charming humor required to pull off the performance. There aren’t many other…
"Free Guy Is A Rocking Good Time"